NPR 2008-07-17

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke told members of the House Financial Services Committee today that inflation is too high and remains¹ a top priority of the Federal Reserve. The Fed Chairman also acknowledged Americans are hurting whether or not the US economy is technically² in a recession. "It's clear that growth has been slowed, that the labor³ market is weak. And so, conditions are tough on average families. I have no doubt of whether it's technically a recession or not. I don't see why that makes a great deal of difference." On the topic of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Bernanke said the mortgage finance giants are adequately capitalized and, in his words, “in no danger of failing”.

Speaking today in West Lafayette, Louisiana, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said much of the heightened security threat against the US comes in the form of emerging nuclear and biological weapons. Presumptive Democratic nominee⁴ also accused the Bush administration of failing to adjust to what he termed, “the stateless threats of the 21st century”. Obama said one of his goals as president would be to work to get rid of the nuclear weapons, though he said as long as such weapons exist, US will retain a strong deterrent⁵.

Education and the economy were the focus of a speech by Senator John McCain today before the NAACP Convention in Cincinnati. NPR's Audie Cornish reports.

Senator John McCain asked black voters at the NAACP meeting to break with conventional thinking about education issues. McCain is pushing for expanded merit pay, school vouchers⁶ and more money for tutoring programs.  "After decades of hearing the same big promises from the public education establishment and seeing the same poor results, it is surely time to shake off old ways and time to demand new reforms." McCain joked about missing last year's convention due to campaign troubles. Some in the audience said after having President George Bush turn down several invitations, they hope McCain would do better if elected. Audie Cornish, NPR News.

Two dead Israeli soldiers returned to Israel in a prisoner swap⁷ will be buried tomorrow. Linda Gradstein reports.

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel paid a heavy price for the bodies of the two soldiers, but that Israel has a moral obligation to its troops. He said that obligation is the glue that holds Israeli society together and enables Israel to survive while surrounded by enemies. The families of the two Israeli soldiers said they're grieving, but there is also relief that the uncertainty⁸ of the past two years is over. The capture of the two soldiers sparked a month-long war between Israel and Lebanon two years ago. In exchange for the two soldiers, Israel freed Samir Kantar, the longest serving Arab prisoner in Israel. Kantar was convicted of killing⁹ an Israeli man and his four-year-old daughter as well as a policeman in 1979. He received a hero's welcome when he arrived in Lebanon. For NPR News, I'm Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 276 points.

This is NPR.

Defense¹⁰ officials are now confirming that a worsening situation in Afghanistan may require a need for more US troops there this year. And officials say as a result, they're looking for ways to send additional forces. The assessment¹¹ comes at a time of escalating¹² violence in Afghanistan with officials confirming insurgents¹³ are waging more sophisticated and better-planned attacks. That includes an attack Sunday where nine US soldiers were killed at a base in eastern Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said there are no plans to break the Pentagon's promise that soldiers would be deployed¹⁴ for no more than twelve months at a time.

College students who get sick could take time off from school without jeopardizing¹⁵ their health insurance coverage¹⁶. That's under legislation approved by a US House committee. NPR's Julie Rovner has more.

Most health insurers stop covering children on their parents’ plans when they turn 18, unless they are full-time¹⁷ students. But what happens if those students get seriously ill? In 2004, New Hampshire college student Michelle Morse maintained a full schedule of classes while being treated for colon¹⁸ cancer, simply so she could keep her coverage. She died six months after her graduation. The bill approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee would forbid insurance plans from dropping coverage for college students who take up to twelve months off due to illness. It's backed by a broad array of health groups, including the health insurance industry. Julie Rovner, NPR News, Washington.

Would you buy a car from an automaker that has filed for bankruptcy¹⁹? Apparently²⁰, most Americans would not, at least based on a survey of 6,000 would-be car buyers from CMW Research. The firm says more than 80 percent of those intending to purchase a new vehicle in the next six months said they would not buy from a company that filed Chapter 11.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

6 vouchers   

n.凭证( voucher的名词复数 )；证人；证件；收据

参考例句：

• These vouchers are redeemable against any future purchase. 这些优惠券将来购物均可使用。
• This time we were given free vouchers to spend the night in a nearby hotel. 这一次我们得到了在附近一家旅馆入住的免费券。 来自英语晨读30分（高二）

7 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

8 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

11 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

12 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

13 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

14 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

15 jeopardizing   

危及，损害( jeopardize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Plans may also become inefficient in the attainment of objectives by jeopardizing group satisfactions. 用危及群体利益方法去达到目标的计划，也是无效率的。
• That boosted government revenues in the short term, but is now jeopardizing them. Morales将天然气工业，电信业和部分采矿业收归国有的举措吓跑了投资者们。

16 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

17 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

18 colon   

n.冒号，结肠，直肠

参考例句：

• Here,too,the colon must be followed by a dash.这里也是一样，应当在冒号后加破折号。
• The colon is the locus of a large concentration of bacteria.结肠是大浓度的细菌所在地。

19 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

20 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。